The Demon Within
by Rurouni Tsukiko
Summary: Kenshin is beginning to feel his Battôsai side grow stronger and gain control.  Can he push his murderous side back and remain Kenshin Himura?  Or will he give in to once again become Hitokiri Battôsai?...
1. Chapter 1: The Feel of Killing

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin in any way (sadly T_T).**

Chapter One

The feel of killing…

Kenshin gazed around the bathroom, everything was calm. Sitting in the bath, he leaned against one of the wooden sides and stared at the ceiling. Closing his eyes, he saw a brief flash of bloody swords clashing. He opened his eyes then, holding up his hands to look at them. His skin was rough, calloused, from years of wielding his sword. Splotches of light crimson hid in the creases of his palms and fingers, reminding him of the thousands of people he had slain. Pushing them under the water, he thought over the squabble that had occurred earlier that day. He had crossed paths with three swordsmen…

**Flashback**

_Kenshin walked quietly, simply going to watch Sanosuke train as he said he would. Going off the path and into a small forested area, he stopped momentarily. An unnatural movement in the trees caught his attention immediately._

"_There is no use in hiding; I know you are there, that I do. All of you," he announced, hearing a small chuckle._

"_Oh you're good," a voice said. A man dropped down from the tree to Kenshin's right, followed by one on the left and in front. Each man drew a sword, smirking as they looked Kenshin over._

"_Draw your sword, unless you wish to give us a boring fight." The man to the left said. _

"_What are your names?" Kenshin asked, looking at each man carefully._

"_You want to know the names of the people you will lose to? How honorable. I am Hayato," the one on the right announced._

"_Isamu," the one directly in front of Kenshin said, obviously growing bored._

"_Katashi, now lets get on with this fight!" the last man said, swinging his sword at Kenshin's shoulder. Stepping sideways, Kenshin avoided the attack and drew his own sword. As Katashi's momentum continued forward, Kenshin struck him in the back, parallel to his spine. The man fell to the ground, his sword flying from his grasp. Isamu grinned, rushing at Kenshin with his sword poised in the Jōdan No Kamae position. Turning, the redhead blocked the downward strike with his blade and pushed Isamu away. From behind Kenshin, Hayato swung his sword at Kenshin's side. He managed to hit right below the ribs, causing Kenshin to lose momentary focus on his current opponent. Isamu went in again, striking sideways across Kenshin's chest, leaving a jagged and bloody gash. Kenshin jumped back in a somewhat kneeling position, gripping his gi over his wound and inhaling deeply a few times._

"_Come on, fight like a man." Isamu teased huskily. Kenshin glared up at them, his golden eyes narrowed. Launching himself from the ground, bringing his sword up in an uppercut-like manner toward Isamu._

"_Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu: Ryu Sho Sen*!" Feeling his sword's tip run up Isamu's neck, he continued forward until he felt a warm spray of liquid on his face and neck. He turned and watched Isamu fall to the ground, the life pouring from his body. He became nothing more than a hollow, soulless shell. Hayato stared at Kenshin, shock evident as he took multiple steps back._

"_W-what are you?" he stammered._

"_Hitokiri," Kenshin began, walking close to Hayato and pressing the blade side of his sword to his throat. The man's eyes widened in sheer terror as he realized who his opponent truly was._

"_Battôsai," he murmured as Kenshin slit his throat. Blood splattered onto Kenshin's shirt and hands, but he no longer cared. The feel of killing again, was magnificent._

**End Flashback**

Kenshin buried his face in his trembling hands, trying to suppress the thoughts. The one thing that kept coming to his mind was the fact that he killed again; after he had sworn not to. Standing, he felt a wave of dizziness and stumbled slightly. Looking at his chest, he sighed deeply. He hadn't stopped bleeding yet, it wasn't clear if it was life-threatening though. A knock came at the door and Kenshin quickly looked up.  
>"This one will be out in a moment, that he will." he said, though he could hear the intensity of battle slither around his words.<br>"Well hurry it up Kenshin, other people like to take baths too!" Sanosuke called back, amusement on his voice.  
>"Of course, Sano," Kenshin let a small chuckle out and pulled the plug to allow the water to drain. Grabbing a darker colored towel from the cabinet, Kenshin dried himself as best he could. Wincing as he touched the tender skin around his wound, he wrapped the towel around his waist.<p>

"Done yet?" Sano called impatiently, knocking again.

"Sano, could you come here?" Kenshin asked, a bit softly.

"Whoa man," he replied, however opening the door. Sanosuke froze as he saw his friend's wound, blood oozing down his body. Shutting the door, he walked over and inspected it a bit.

"What should I do? I don't want to worry Miss Kaoru, that I do not." Kenshin said with dull eyes. Sano scratched his head and grabbed another towel, wiping the excess blood carefully and holding the towel against the wound with a lot of pressure. The redhead squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his forehead.

"You alright Kenshin? Ya don't look so hot." The brunette asked, looking at Kenshin's now opened eyes.

"This one is fine, Sano. Just tired," he replied quietly. Pushing Sanosuke away with the towel, Kenshin grabbed his clothes and walked out of the bathroom, down to the boys' bedroom.

"Hey Ken- whoa, what did you do?" Yahiko asked, pulling on his gi top to get ready for practice. Kenshin waved his hand to dismiss the question and turned around. He quickly exchanged his towel for comfortable 'sleeping' pants. Laying on his shiki-futon, he stared at the ceiling, not minding that Yahiko was looking at his wound.

"I'm gonna tell Kaoru," he said. Kenshin sat up quickly, regretting it as pain shot through his chest.

"You will not," he replied sternly.

"Will to," he smirked and sprinted for the door. Kenshin got up and ran after him, both bare-foot and without swords for once.

"Kaoru, Kaoru, Kaoru!" Yahiko shouted, bursting into the main dojo where Kaoru and Sanosuke stood talking.

"Yahiko!" Kenshin cried, grabbing the back of his gi. Yahiko tripped forward, landing with Kenshin tumbling to the side. The two looked at each other, smiled, and began to laugh a little. Kenshin laughed until he coughed, sitting up so he could breathe between coughs.

"Are you alright Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, walking over as Sano picked Yahiko up by his shirt.

"Y-yeah," Kenshin replied, coughing one final time and feeling a burning sensation in his throat as blood spattered on the floor. Kaoru assisted Kenshin as he got to his feet and looked at his face. Her eyes traveled down to his chest, gasping at the slash.

"Kenshin, what did you do?" she demanded, hands on her hips and scowling. Kenshin waved his hand dismissively.

"A small fight, that it was. This one is fine." Kenshin tried, but Kaoru's scowl became a deadly glare.

"You should have Megumi look at it," Kaoru said.

"It will be fine, just needs to be bandaged that it does." Kenshin replied, giving her a reassuring smile. Kaoru searched Kenshin's eyes for any sign of pain or lies and sighed. She waved her hand at him.

"Fine, go on. Sanosuke and Yahiko can help," she answered. Kenshin bowed slightly and headed out of the main dojo, followed by Sanosuke and Yahiko. They went to the bathroom, Sanosuke grabbing bandages and Yahiko searching for medicine to prevent an infection.

"It hurts, doesn't it Kenshin?" Yahiko asked after finding the medicine. The fiery-haired man simply shrugged.

"I guess," he answered absentmindedly as he gently fingered the tender skin. The two younger boys did a good and quick job wrapping Kenshin up, finishing in about ten minutes. As soon as they were done, the samurai left without as much as a thank you. Sano caught Yahiko by the gi before he had a chance to go after Kenshin.

"Something's wrong with him. I think he wants to be alone." Sano said to the black haired boy. Yahiko crossed his arms over his chest.

"But I wanna know where he's going!" he complained, looking up at Sano. Considering the possibilities for a moment, Sano grinned mischievously. Yahiko raised a brow but then smiled.

"Let the spying commence," Sanosuke said quietly and both boys went out to find Kenshin. It was easy to spot him at first, his bright hair causing him to stick out in almost any place. The two followed, lagging behind a bit, as Kenshin exited the dojo grounds.

Terms:

*Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu: Ryo Sho Sen- Hiten Mitsurugi Style: Dragon Flight Flash


	2. Chapter 2: Silent

Chapter Two

Silent

Kenshin walked in utter silence, listening to the sounds of the oncoming night. He knew he was walking aimlessly, but his mind would not allow his body to stop. No matter how hard he tried, he kept walking.

'_I have killed again, for no reason, that I have. I do not deserve to be here, as long as this knowledge curses my mind.' _He thought sorrowfully. Suddenly the dirt path before him ended and a row of trees began a forest. Kenshin stopped for moment, eyeing the seemingly never ending trees before continuing on. He now knew where his body was trying to take him; the place where the incident had occurred. He heaved a deep sigh and found the place. The clearing was outlined in the new moonlight of the full moon. He gazed around, the three bodies still where he had left them. Blood stained the grass around them, the smell of decaying flesh hung lightly in the air. The smell reached a bit outside of the clearing to where Sanosuke and Yahiko hid, watching their friend.

"What's he doing here?" Yahiko whispered.

"I don't know kid," Sano murmured. Kenshin shivered violently as a chilling breeze blew threw the trees. Winter was on its way, the air was already growing colder.

"How…how could I have…oh God…" Kenshin said to himself. He went to each body, picking them up and laying them in a row. Closing their eyes, he felt a strange twinge of satisfaction. Sano and Yahiko looked curiously at Kenshin, who had begun to smile.

"What's wrong with him?" Yahiko inquired, brows furrowing.

"I…I'm not sure," Sano replied. Kenshin's smile turned into a devilish smirk as he stared down at the bodies with golden tinged eyes.

"It felt…_glorious_…" he chuckled, the gold in his eyes coming out more. Yahiko gasped and Sano quickly moved to cover his mouth, but it was too late. Kenshin whipped around to face where they were, smile dropped to a straight face.

"Kenshin, are you alright man?" Sano asked, cautiously walking toward him and keeping Yahiko behind him. Kenshin slid his right leg back into his fighting stance. He began to reach for his sakabatô but cursed when he realized he didn't have it.

"Go away," he growled, taking a step back. Sano continued walking forward.

"Kenshin," Sano started.

"Leave me alone!" he snarled, eyes wide and putting his hand against his head as if in pain. Yahiko peered around Sano and looked at Kenshin, his role model, as he seemed to struggle within himself.

"You need to come back to the dojo before you hurt yourself." Sanosuke said reasonably. Kenshin glanced around and in a swift, undetectable motion, picked a sword up from the ground and held it defensively.

"Get away," he warned, flecks of violet being illuminated by the moonlight.

"Kenshin, come with us! Please," Yahiko spoke up, looking a bit nervously at the redhead. Moving his sword, Kenshin gently gripped the blade part. Sanosuke looked at him questioningly.

'_What's he doing?'_ Sano wondered, watching his friend. Kenshin gripped the blade with all his strength, growling a slight curse as he bled.

"Kenshin, you idiot! What are you doing?" Sano gasped, taking a step forward. Kenshin swiftly sliced his hand and tossed the sword away, cradling his hand against his chest for a moment before dropping it to his side. He stared at the ground, shoulders trembling slightly.

"Kenshin?" Yahiko asked, quickly going over to his role model. Kenshin looked at the younger boy with tired violet eyes.

"Ya..hiko…" his voice sounded strained, as if he was fighting to keep it even and endure pain. Blood pouring from his fresh cut and dripped on the grass. Sanosuke walked over to Kenshin, placing a hand lightly on his shoulder.

"Let's get you to the dojo," he suggested calmly. The way back to the dojo was cursed by unnerving silence. Kenshin did not converse at all, his eyes blank pools of unfocused violet. Sanosuke kept an eye on the redhead, walking quietly between him and Yahiko. Yahiko stared at the ground, most likely attempting to make sense of what had taken place moments prior. Sighing softly, Sanosuke decided to break the seemingly impenetrable silence.

"So, Kenshin, how's your hand?" he asked. Kenshin blinked and looked up at Sanosuke, giving him a false smile.

"It is fine, that it is." He lied, feeling his hand burn and throb at his side.

"That's good. You should probably let the fox-lady look at it," He pointed out, seeing Kenshin's hand quiver a bit. Looking at his palm, Kenshin examined it himself for a few extensive moments. The blood had begun to stop and it was starting to dry.

"It will be fine, that it will Sano." He responded casually. Yahiko fixed his eyes on Kenshin as they entered the dojo grounds. Kenshin felt the younger boy looking at him and sighed inwardly.

"Kenshin?" Yahiko asked quietly.

"Yes Yahiko?" said man replied, looking down at the young samurai-in-training. The kid was silent for many moments before he responded.

"Are you okay?" he chose his words carefully. Kenshin's brow furrowed and he gave Yahiko a half-hearted smile.

"Well you see Yahiko, something is happening that you may not understand. When you are older, you will." Kenshin replied, chuckling as Yahiko began to fume.

"I am old enough!" he pouted and crossed his arms. Sano smiled with relief as Kenshin laughed.

"Of course," the fiery-haired man mused before strolling away. Sanosuke watched him stop as Kaoru shoved open the sliding door and glared at him.

"Where have you been? You guys know that you shouldn't be out this late! Get inside, all of you!" she ordered, ushering the three inside. Kenshin hid his hand from Kaoru until he got to his, Sano's, and Yahiko's room. Not too long after he sat on his futon did the other two saunter in.

"Why did you follow me?" he inquired, his eyes dull as he glanced up at them. Sanosuke scratched his head in embarrassment and Yahiko shrugged.

"I wanted to know where you were goin'," he said honestly. Kenshin looked back at his hands.

"Oh." He sighed softly. Sano sat on his futon between Kenshin's and Yahiko's and looked at the redhead.

"What's going on with you?" he asked cautiously. Kenshin gave the teen a weary smile and simply shook his head.

"I don't know Sano."

**Yay chapter two is done! :D I hope whoever had read this is enjoying it so far! I have no idea how many chapters there will be, and hopefully if people like it a lot and review I will do a sequel? Yes? Haha, anyway please enjoy the next chapters! Chapter three should be done soon!**


	3. Chapter 3: Depression

Chapter Three

Depression

_Kenshin ran, his hand on the handle of his sword that rested in its sheath for the time being. He felt the presence of three swordsmen as he approached a clearing in the bamboo forest. He stopped suddenly in the exact center, narrowed eyes searching for his targets. One man after another came out, swords poised to attack. Kenshin simply drew his sword in an upward arc, slicing the throats of two men. They fell to the ground, blood splattering on Kenshin. The warm, thick, liquid man the corners of his lips twist up ever so slightly into a demonic grin. The last man stood before the man that slaughtered his comrades in one stroke of his sword, trembling faintly._

"_Die," Kenshin said without the smallest hint of emotion. The man seemed to try stepping back, but he was paralyzed in horror. Kenshin stalked forward and in a single movement, plunged his sword straight through the man's chest. The man's eyes grew wide, and then blank as Kenshin retracted his sword and watched his last opponent fall. Flicking the blood from his sword, he put it back in its sheath._

"_There is a joy I feel as my blade slices through flesh and as my opponents fall dead. The feel of killing, in any form, is the most glorious thing…" he walked away thinking. The light of the moon outlined him, silhouetting him against the starry sky. People feared him, this man, Kenshin. He was not a man, no, he was a manslayer. A vicious, coldhearted, emotionless killer. The Hitokiri Battôsai. He could never have friends, a family, a home, or ever truly love. Never._

Kenshin jolted awake, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead. Sitting, Kenshin rubbed his face and sighed heavily. Gazing around, he noticed that Sano and Yahiko had already woken up and gone to practice and do chores. Dragging himself to his feet, the redhead felt a pain go through his chest and decided to just ignore it. There was no point dwelling on it. Changing into his hakama and gi, he exited the room. His footsteps echoed down the hallway, giving him the impression that everybody had left. Peering outside, he saw that his impression had been wrong. Sanosuke, Yahiko, Kaoru, and Megumi stood outside speaking quietly. Kenshin could pick up one of the hushed voices, Sanosuke's, as he spoke.

"Something was wrong…killed someone I think…followed him…" was all that Kenshin could hear. A deep depression set in on his heart as he realized his friends were talking about him. None of them noticed that Kenshin had walked over to commence his laundry chore. He picked up some clothes, probably belonging to Yahiko, and started washing them. Abruptly, Kenshin felt four sets of eyes turn to him. He felt trapped under his friends' stares, as if they pitied him. Annoyance burned in the back of his mind until he heard two voices calling him.

"Uncle Ken!" Ayame and Suzume yelled, darting over to him and hugging his arms. Kenshin smiled slightly and put the clothes down, hugging the two back.

"This one is doing his chores right now, would you like to help?" he asked kindly. The two girls giggled and nodded enthusiastically. Before Kenshin handed a gi to Ayame to show her how to wash it, he caught Sanosuke's voice.

"Should we let those two play with him?" he murmured cautiously. Kaoru turned to watch them clean clothes. Suzume plunged her small hands into the water and splashed Kenshin, who simply laughed and flicked some water onto her.

"Just keep an eye on them," Kenshin heard the sapphire eyed girl reply. The red haired man stared blankly into the bucket of water, the depression he felt earlier weighing heavier on his heart.

"Uncle Ken?" Ayame poked his shoulder gently. Suzume mimicked her sister on his other side and he grinned.

"Yes?" he asked, looking at both of them.

"What's wrong?" Ayame asked innocently.

"Yeah what's wrong Uncle Ken?" Suzume copied. Kenshin sighed deeply and sat back, the girls sitting on his lap as if he was their father.

"Well you see, this one has done something not good, that he has; now Miss Kaoru, Sano, Yahiko, and Miss Megumi are not happy that they are not." He explained. Ayame pondered this for a few moments before looking into Kenshin's lavender eyes.

"Uncle Ken is always good!" she concluded, crossing her tiny arms over her chest defiantly.

"Yeah!" Suzume agreed, crossing her arms as well. Kenshin laughed full heartedly and let his gaze drift to the clouds. They were lazily moving across the sky, some appearing a dark grey in the distance.

"It appears as though it will rain later," Kenshin said absentmindedly.

"Can we play in the rain?" Suzume asked excitedly.

"Only if Miss Kaoru says it's alright," he replied. The sister bolted from Kenshin's lap and over to Kaoru, bouncing around her as they pleaded to play in the rain. Kenshin found this amusing for a short time. Closing his eyes, he rubbed his temple. He could see golden eyes in the darkness of his closed eyes. They were his, no doubt, but they were menacing. Their cold, spiteful hunger causing a shiver to envelop the samurai's body.

"_Kill again, experience that utter joy in ending a wretched life." _A voice whispered. Opening his eyes, he glanced around nervously. Blinking a few times, Kenshin began his chore again, shutting out the world around him.

Kaoru, Sanosuke, and Yahiko sat on the porch and watched Kenshin. They could feel his discontent hanging around, also a slight dread.

"I think someone should talk to him. He looks lonely." Yahiko said, swinging his feet carelessly.

"I think the Missy here should." Sano suggested, elbowing her gently in the side. Kaoru ran her fingers through her hair, almost apprehensively. Sano pushed her shoulder and nodded toward Kenshin, saying 'go on'. Sighing in defeat, Kaoru got to her feet and slowly walked over to the redhead. Kenshin just finished his chore, unrolling his gi's sleeves and cracking his knuckles loudly. This made Kaoru flinch, though she still placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Kenshin?" she asked cautiously. The man did not look at her, but nodded to show that he heard.

"Kenshin, look at me," She said, trying to pull his shoulder.

"Kenshin what's wrong with you? Ever since the other day you've been all gloomy!" she demanded. Kenshin turned to look at her, his lavender eyes brimmed with gold. His face held a sorrow and grief that Kaoru could not even begin to understand. He resembled a frightened child in the sense that he would not speak, simply look and shrink away into the depths of his mind. Kaoru released her grip on Kenshin's shoulder, staring worriedly into his eyes. Dark clouds hovered above them, threatening rain.

"You should go inside Miss Kaoru. It will rain soon, that it will." He said, his voice even. Kenshin saw the two young girls scamper outside and scream in delight as a few drops of water hit their faces. Thunder rolled and lightning struck, causing Kaoru to jump slightly. The lightning illuminated Kenshin's eyes, their beautiful, calm lavender disappearing into a cold and fierce gold. Kaoru grabbed the sleeve of his gi and tugged on it.

"We should both go inside, and Ayame and Suzume." She said softly as rain began to fall.

"Let go," Kenshin muttered. Kaoru tightened her grip and tugged harder.

"Come on Kenshin," she commanded. Kenshin shoved her away and swiftly put his hand on the handle of his sakabatô that rested at his side.

"Leave me alone," he pressed, staring intently into her wide eyes.

"Kenshin, please," she tried, gasping as the man before her drew his sword. Sanosuke and Yahiko sprinted over, blocking Kaoru from Kenshin.

"Kenshin what the _hell_ are you thinking?" Sano demanded, anger evident on his voice.

"I…" he began, cursing under his breath. The rain soaked all of them, the girls' screaming had subsided and they skipped over to Kenshin.

"Uncle Ken!" they sang over and over.

"Ayame, Suzume, come here right now!" Kaoru insisted. The girls clung to Kenshin's hakama and pouted.

"But Kaoru-chan!" Ayame protested. Kenshin's body began to tremble and then shake. His sakabatô fell from his hands and he felt the girls hug him tightly.

"Uncle Ken?" Suzume asked, looking up at his face. His golden eyes were wide and his face was contorted in pain. Sanosuke stepped forward and reached a hand toward Kenshin's arm.

"Kenshin, are you alright?' he asked slowly. Yahiko gasped as Kenshin looked up at Sano and stumbled forward. Sano caught him and the sisters anxiously walked over to Yahiko and pulled on his sleeves.

"What's wrong with Uncle Ken?" Ayame asked cutely. Yahiko looked at them and shrugged slowly. Kenshin's gaze drifted to Kaoru as his eyes began to close. Three words came from him that confused the group.

"_Who am I…?_"

**Yay chapter three is finished! :) I hope that people are still enjoying it. Please keep reading, for the ultimate ending may be a bit…strange. ;) Chapter four shall be up as soon as I can get it. ByeBye for now~**


	4. Chapter 4: Anger and Apologies

Chapter Four

Anger and apologies

_Kenshin stood in darkness, the only thing in the world around him was merely a reflection of himself. But it was and wasn't him. The man before him was rigid and haunting. His eyes shone a bright gold filled with merciless bloodlust, the want—the __need__—to kill was evident in his face._

"_What do you want?" the lavender eyed reflection asked._

"_Exactly what you want; my sword to cut through the flesh of unworthy opponents that believe they can defeat me in battle." The golden eyed Kenshin chuckled darkly. _

"Kenshin wake up," _a voice cut through the darkness. The gold eyed Kenshin snorted and crossed his arms over his chest._

"_How sweet, those 'friends' of yours want you." He laughed._

"Kenshin, I swear if you don't wake up…" _the female voice trailed off this time. Kenshin blinked his lavender eyes and next he opened them, he was staring at Kaoru's angry—more pissed off—face._

Kenshin blinked a few times and sat up, looking around in mild confusion.

"Finally," Megumi sighed from across the room. Kaoru stood up from where she sat beside Kenshin and glared down at him.

"Why are you angry Miss Kaoru?" he asked in honest misunderstanding.

"You drew your sword at her," Sanosuke threw in from the complete opposite side of the room. Scratching his head, the red-haired man looked up at Kaoru.

"This one is sorry, that he is. He did not mean you harm," Kenshin apologized. The black haired girl turned and walked out of the room, not saying a word.

"She's mad," Sano said plainly.

"No shit," Megumi said, leaning against the wall. Kenshin sadly watched her leave and then sighed, staring into his hands. The room was quiet for a very long moment.

"How are you feeling?" Sano spoke up.

"This one is fine," Kenshin lied, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over his mind. Rubbing his eyes, he stood up and looked around.

"You should sleep Ken-san," Megumi suggested, walking toward him. The redhead shook his hand and went past her, heading to the exit of the room. He kept quiet as he went down the hall and sat heavily on the porch. His mind whirled, causing everything around him to spin.

"_You know you want to kill,"_ he heard a whisper. Glancing around, he shivered slightly. Realizing he was only wearing his hakama, Kenshin rubbed his bare arms. The rain had left a chill in the air for the night. The full moon was high in the star-ridden sky and cast a silvery glow onto the world. Lying back with his hands behind his head, Kenshin watched the moon as it faded between clouds.

"I wonder what mother and father would say if they saw me now…" he wondered to himself. Sadness took hold of his heart and he blinked hard to keep unfamiliar tears away. The last time he had cried was the day he had met Master Hiko.

"Kenshin?" a voice called softly, timidly. Shifting, Kenshin let his gaze drift to where a familiar figure stood in the doorway.

"Hello Miss Kaoru," he answered kindly, though he heard the tiredness on his own voice. Kaoru shuffled over to him and sat with her legs hanging over the porch. She sat about a foot and a half away from him, twirling her hair around her finger.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, her blue eyes fixed on the ground.

"This one is fine. How are you?" he returned the question politely.

"I'm…alright." She plainly lied. Kenshin's eyes dulled and he sighed gently.

"Miss Kaoru, I truly am sorry for what I have done. I did not mean to hurt you in any way. I'm aware that you are angry with me, and I deserve it." Kenshin told her before sitting up and looking at her. Shock was evident in her eyes as she had turned to look at him.

"_He didn't say 'this one'…"_ she thought in slight confusion. Kenshin turned his eyes back to the moon, letting a very small smile creep on his face.

"Miss Kaoru, who do you think I am?" he asked.

"What do you mean Kenshin?" she returned. Kenshin pondered for a moment, forming his words.

"Who do you think this one is, truly." He said carefully. Kaoru was quieting for a few lengthy moments before she could answer.

"I think you are Himura Kenshin. An excellent swordsman, a kind man, and a good friend." She answered simply, moving a bit closer to Kenshin's side. A minute chuckled came from Kenshin, almost a disbelieving one.

"You say those things, Miss Kaoru, as if what had happened earlier never occurred. Do you _truly _believe that?" he inquired.

"Kenshin you…_moron_!" she erupted, smacking him upside the head. Kenshin jumped slightly and looked at her in astonishment.

"What…?" he began but she cut him off.

"I can't _believe_ that you wouldn't believe me! I've _always_ told you the truth Kenshin. You're such an _idiot_. Baka, why would I lie to you?" she fumed. A grin slow tugged at Kenshin's lips and he wrapped his arms around her in a gentle hug. She gasped lightly but cautiously returned the gesture.

"Thank you, Miss Kaoru." He said as he broke apart the embrace. Kaoru had begun to speak, however in an undetectable motion, Kenshin had gotten up and was already halfway to the gates of the dojo.

****

Kaoru got up after she watched the red haired man leave the dojo grounds. The way he walked was somewhat different now, as if it was more of a challenge to find where his feet went. She turned, decided that he'd be fine alone for a while, and went back inside. Sanosuke was the first person she saw as he sauntered up to her.

"Where's Kenshin?" he asked quizzically. His hands were shoved in his pockets, as always, but his face gave away his fatigue and uneasiness.

"He went for a walk, he'll be fine. Go to sleep," she said softly, placing her hand on his shoulder and nudging him toward his room where she could hear Yahiko snoring. Megumi came out of the boys' room, passing Sanosuke in the doorway.

"Kaoru, may I stay the night?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, just go put your futon in my room." She replied, walking down the hall after the other black haired woman. Later on, as Kaoru was settling in to sleep, she thought of Kenshin alone outside. He was wondering somewhere, but he'd be back by morning. He would, right?...

****

**Okay, first of all I am ****so**** sorry that I haven't posted this in a while! Unfortunately, one of the drum majors of the marching band I participate in passed away and it's been a tough week. I should be back to posting this chapters more regularly now. During school, I may only post on Sundays but I'll let you know! **

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! :3 Please R&R! I love hearing from everyone :) **

**ByeBye for now~!**


	5. Chapter 5: The Longing

Chapter Five

The longing

Kaoru woke up to footsteps in the hallway. Megumi seemed to stir as well, lifting her head.

"Are the boys up already?" she asked groggily, yawning. Kaoru rubbed her face and hauled herself to her feet.

"I don't know," she replied, trotting toward the door and sliding it open.

"Well good morning Missy," Sanosuke greeted her. They had both opened the doors in unison, and were now staring at each other.

"Was that you walking down the hall?" she asked. Sanosuke shook his head and raised an eyebrow.

"I thought it was you or the fox-lady," he replied, pushing the door the rest of the way open to reveal Yahiko pulling on his gi. A cough echoed down the hall and went on for several seconds before everything grew quiet again.

"I think I know who it is now." Megumi said from behind Kaoru. She had gotten dressed and was now pushing her way out of the room. Kaoru sighed and shut the door for a few minutes while she pulled on a deep red kimono. It had been her favorite for a while until she switched to blue. She exited the room quickly, following Sanosuke and walking beside Yahiko. They all walked into the main dojo and saw Megumi talking to a certain redheaded man. Kenshin was sweating lightly, his sword calmly at his side. It appeared as though he had been practicing. Small flecks of red dotted the floor, but there weren't many. A thin line of blood dripped from the corner of Kenshin's mouth, though he waved Megumi's hand away when she attempted to wipe it.

"This one is fine," he assured her.

"Kenshin have you been here all night?" Sanosuke asked, looking at him curiously. The other man smiled and nodded sheepishly.

"This one could not sleep, that he couldn't." he replied, looking at his friends.

"Are you feeling okay Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, walking over and placing her hand gently on his forehead. Kenshin flinched away, her touch bringing dizziness back into his mind. Stumbling back a step, Kenshin caught himself and chuckled in fake amusement.

"This one is fine Miss Kaoru," he said. Kaoru's eyes went from worried to annoyed as she looked at Kenshin.

"You're such a liar Kenshin!" she shouted, hands on her hips. Sanosuke and Yahiko quietly observed while Megumi slowly made her way over to Sanosuke.

"What's up with this Rooster-head?" she muttered to Sanosuke, who shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Miss Kaoru," Kenshin started but she rudely interrupted.

"Don't 'Miss Kaoru' me Kenshin! What's the matter with you lately? You're coughing so hard you _bleed_, you can't seem to walk straight, you're always leaving…" she raved. Kenshin simply stood in silence and listened, which was no surprise to anybody. He was getting rather good at taking Kaoru's rants and not letting them affect him too much.

"Kaoru," Megumi attempted to interject but she continued.

"Stop being so selfish! You aren't the only one with issues! Why can't you just let us help you? My gosh, were you raised in complete isolation? You're parents must not have cared much-," she stopped as Kenshin's eyes flashed. Pure rage flickered into his eyes and Kaoru froze.

"Don't you _dare_ speak of my parents." He growled, the malice in his voice enough to cause even the strongest of people to feel utter fear.

"Ken..shin…?" Kaoru choked out his name. He tightened his grip on his sword, the dizziness fading slowly and a new feeling washing over his thoughts—_longing_. He _longed _to feel his sword cut through flesh, he _yearned_ to hear the screams as someone slowly died by his sword, he _craved _the warm spray of sweet blood on his skin, he _hungered _for the smell of death. This feeling, this horribly _wonderful _feeling clung to his mind and he could not shake it off. Golden eyes were fixed on Kaoru, pinning her to the place where she stood.

"Let us intervene Yahiko," Sanosuke said, quickly running between Kenshin and Kaoru. Yahiko ran to Kaoru's side, tugging on the sleeve of her kimono.

"C'mon Kaoru we gotta go," Yahiko said, pulling her toward the hallway.

"Now Kenshin," Sanosuke was saying. "How about we drop the sword and calm down. Sound good?" he asked, a goofy smile on his face. Kenshin thrust his sword toward Sanosuke's chest, the tip barely a millimeter from his skin. Sanosuke looked wide-eyed at his friend and put his hands up.

"Ken-san!" Megumi gasped, backing up toward Kaoru and Yahiko. Kenshin glared intensely at Sanosuke, the sword not wavering from its position.

"Kenshin please stop…" Kaoru murmured, looking into his eyes as his gaze flickered toward her.

"_Never_ speak of my parents. You don't know them, you don't know anything!" he yelled, swinging his sword back and sheathing it in one motion.

"Kenshin…" Kaoru whispered.

"And don't you _dare_ think they didn't care about me!" he ordered, his eyes reverting back to their normal lavender, however something seemed wrong. Tears welled up in his eyes and for the first time, the Kenshin-gumi saw their friend begin to cry. The man that had once been the Hitokiri Battôsai, the man that had never once shown a sign of crying, had finally reached his breaking point.

Later that day, Kenshin sat alone on the porch. He watched birds hop around on the ground, searching for food. The pain of the morning still pierced his heart and the swell of feelings within him had barely settled. Pain clouded his eyes and he did not look up at someone sat beside him.

"Are you okay Kenshin?" Yahiko asked, looking at his role model. Kenshin looked at the younger boy, his eyes still dull.

"Not really, no." he replied plainly. Yahiko looked into Kenshin's light eyes, feeling sympathy for the older man.

"What happened to your parents?" the raven haired boy asked softly. Kenshin blinked hard once and then looked at Yahiko.

"They died of cholera when I was little." He replied, unhappiness obvious in his voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry Kenshin." Yahiko said, sadness creeping into his voice.

"It's alright Yahiko." Kenshin replied politely, though he wasn't alright. His heart twisted in agony and his eyes stung as tears built up in his eyes. Looking up at the sky, Kenshin blinking back the tears and sighed deeply.

"Yahiko, if you were troubled by something…what about you do?" Kenshin asked, not expecting the teen to understand.

"I'd talk to someone like you or Sanosuke," he answered easily. Kenshin smiled and looked at the younger boy with a bit of brightness in his eyes.

"This one thinks he will do that, that he will." Kenshin said and was about to stand up when he thought about something. Remaining seated, he simply turned to face Yahiko, one leg dangling off the porch and the other bent (as if he were sitting 'Indian style' with one leg over the porch).

"Could this one talk to you?" he questioned. Yahiko smiled and turned to face Kenshin, sitting with his legs crossed.

"Sure!" the boy said giddily. As the two began talking, Kaoru and Sanosuke walked by. Kaoru stopped to looked at Kenshin, who was now almost smiling as he spoke with Yahiko.

"He's like a little kid," Kaoru whispered.

"Well he didn't have much of a childhood now, did he?" Sanosuke pointed out. Kaoru's eyes dulled and she watched the two for a few long moments. Sanosuke walked toward them and sat next to Kenshin like Yahiko was. Within a few seconds, the two allowed him to join the conversation. Kaoru nervously sat beside Yahiko, feeling Kenshin's eyes fix on her. His stare was cold, but he continued with what he was saying.

"So what ideas do you have?" he asked Sanosuke and Yahiko.

"Why don't you go find this Master Hiko guy?" Sanosuke asked.

"Yeah, or you could find something to take your mind off stuff when you get mad." Yahiko added.

"What?" Kaoru asked, lost due to not being in the conversation until now. Kenshin looked at her eyes, pain still set in the lavender orbs, however brightness was coming to them.

"I need a way to control myself." He said simply. Kaoru nodded, now understanding the suggestions.

"Oh, and I'm sorry about this morning…" Kaoru said tensely. She expected some sort of bad reaction from Kenshin, but instead he gave her a smile.

"This one forgives you," he said.

"I'm hungry!" Yahiko announced, Sanosuke nodding in agreement. Kenshin began to laugh, though it turned into a cough that lasted a number of seconds. Moving his hand form his mouth, his palm was stained red and he sighed. Wiping his mouth on his gi sleeve, he looked at his friends.

"I think you should let Megumi take a look at you," Kaoru suggested, eyes worried. Kenshin gave her a smiled and shook his head.

"This one is fine," he assured her. Kaoru smiled slightly and began talking about what everybody would like for lunch. Kenshin's eyes fell to his hands and he looked at his palms.

"_Why am I happy? Is this even happiness? I have nearly harmed the person I care most about many times…why should I smile? Why do I stay here? I am simply harming them…" _he thought solemnly. Kenshin's smile faded and his eyes dulled once more, but no one noticed this time. They were happy, and in their worlds everything was getting better. But around this man, Kenshin Himura, the Battôsai, the world was slowly seeming to become darker than the blackest night.


	6. Chapter 6: We are One

Chapter Six

We are One

_Kenshin felt himself falling into a pit of darkness, unable to move. As he fell, he slowly began to relax. Suddenly his feet hit a solid surface and he stood, looking around curiously. As he turned to glance all around him, he saw reflections begin to appear. Each one of himself, and each one showing him an emotion that he has expressed. There was happiness, sorrow, anger, forgiveness, loneliness. He stopped, eyes growing wide as he stared at one image of himself—it's expression cold, empty, and emotionless._

"_This is who you are," a voice murmured. Kenshin growled and looked around in annoyance. The other reflections had gone, and only the one he stood facing remained._

"_That's is not me," he said to the reflection._

"_We are the same," Battôsai chuckled and took a step toward Kenshin. Kenshin shook his head._

"_No, you're not a part of me anymore. I gave that away many years ago," he retorted, scowling. Battôsai crossed his arms and shook his head, displeasure emanating from him._

"_How __stupid__ can you be? You can't just throw away a part of your heart, your soul. I'm always here, I always have been, and always will be. And __I__ want to kill. I want to feel that terrific feeling, meaning so do you. You can feel it, when you touch your sword. That urge, that feeling. So just do it, and become a Hitokiri once again." Battôsai lectured. Kenshin felt his body shiver violently as a rush of memories flooded his mind. He remembered killing, he recalled the feeling. But through those memories, a coldness took over his mind and a numbness set in._

"_To kill again…is against my vow to Tomoe…" he muttered, obviously conflicted. Battôsai snorted and drew his katana. _

"_Weak, you are weak and pathetic. I'll show you the joy," he growled. Kenshin felt as if his body were frozen, he could not move even as he sat Battôsai thrust his sword through his stomach. Kenshin gasped and felt blood rush up his throat. He coughed and it splattered around him and onto Battôsai's gi. Battôsai laughed and retracted his sword._

"_Damn..you.." Kenshin hissed, holding his stomach. Battôsai's face dropped into a serious expression and he plunged his sword through Kenshin's right shoulder. Kenshin tried not to show pain but a small gasp was evident. As Battôsai pushed the katana further into his shoulder, Kenshin slowly came to realize that this world was disappearing into light. _

"_I will kill again." Battôsai's voice whispered through Kenshin's mind._

Kenshin opened his eyes, feeling his throat not allow air into his lungs, he turned onto his side and felt blood flow from his mouth. Coughing hard, it soaked into the futon he lay on and into his clothes. Blood stained over his stomach and his shoulder and pain rushed through his body. Falling back onto his back, Kenshin felt his blood continue to flow out of his mouth and his wounds.

"_But it was just a dream…"_ he thought in disbelief.

"_It was as real as you and me."_ He heard a voice mumble in his ear.

"S-sano…" Kenshin managed, attempted to wake the teen up. Sanosuke moved slightly but continued in his dreams. Kenshin winced as he moved his injured shoulder, his hand brushing his friend's shoulder. Sunlight was dimly filtering into the room and after a few moments, Sanosuke yawned and sat up.

"What smells like blood…?" Sanosuke glanced around. As his eyes landed on Kenshin, he gawked at the blood.

"Sano…" Kenshin struggled. His body trembled as he tried to move.

"Don't move Kenshin!" Sanosuke ordered, immediately assuming an adult mindset.

"Sanosuke why are you yelling?" Yahiko got up, stretching.

"Get the fox-lady, _now_!" he demanded, throwing the blanket off Kenshin and carefully taking his top off to see the wounds.

"Kenshin!" Yahiko gasped, but rubbed his eyes and threw open the shoji.

"Quickly!" Sanosuke added as Yahiko ran over to the next room yelling for Megumi.

"Kenshin, how did this happen?" Sanosuke asked, his face softening.

"Bat..tô..sai…" he said with great effort. Sanosuke raised an eyebrow and looked sadly at his friend.

"You did this then?" he asked. Kenshin's blank lavender eyes stared up into Sanosuke's. As they slowly turned to gold, he nodded slightly.

"Yes…" he muttered. A cough erupted from deep in his chest, causing his stomach wound to bleed more and blood came into his mouth. Kaoru, Yahiko, and Megumi rushed into the room then, the girls gaping at Kenshin. The way he laid there, his hair loose and all around him, his face pale, he appeared as if he were dead. Megumi hurriedly went over to Kenshin and knelt next to him.

"Kaoru I need you to help me clean the blood," she ordered. Kaoru stiffly walked over and grabbed a damp clothes. As she began washing the blood from around Kenshin's wounds, she noticed all of the scars on his body. She had never truly noticed, but now as he lay completely vulnerable, she could see every one of them. His eyes rested on Kaoru, he watched her intently. A gleam in his golden eyes showed a want that was unfamiliar to Kaoru, but a dullness in his eyes showed a conflict in his mind.

"Kenshin…" she sighed, sapphire eyes showing sadness. As Kaoru finished cleaning the blood from him, she realized that his skin was beginning to feel cool; not cold however, just somewhat below normal temperature. Megumi began putting medicines on his two wounds and wrapped them as Sanosuke held Kenshin so she could wrap them tightly around. Placing her palm against the redhead's forehead, she frowned.

"He needs to rest." She announced. Kenshin's eyes flickered to her and he stared at her face. Megumi, feeling a bit intimidated, stood with her medical supplies and exited the room. Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sanosuke sat around Kenshin, ready to ask him questions even if he would take a while to reply.

"Are you feeling alright now?" Kaoru asked softly.

"Yes…" his voice seemed distant.

"Kenshin?" Yahiko asked.

"No," he replied bluntly.

"What?"

"Battô..sai." he said, a small grin twisting up the corners of his lips.

"No! You are Kenshin!" Kaoru erupted, holding his hand tightly. Kenshin's eyes focused now, their blankness now a bright gold. He took his hand from Kaoru and forced himself to sit up, ignoring the stabbing pains.

"Kenshin lay down," Sanosuke gently tried to push his left shoulder. Grabbing Sanosuke's wrist, Kenshin glared.

"Don't touch me." A new fierceness was in his voice. But it wasn't his—it wasn't _Kenshin's_—voice. It was too low, too cold to be his. Hauling himself to his feet, he felt Yahiko tug on his hakama.

"Kenshin please lay back down," the youngest said, his eyes full of worry. Kenshin walked away from the three, saying three words before he left.

"_Don't_ follow me."


	7. Chapter 7: Decision

Chapter Seven

Decision

Kaoru watched with pained eyes as Kenshin left, walking down the hall and vanishing into the sunlight outside. Tears welled up in her sapphire eyes and she felt them begin sliding down her pink dusted cheeks.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked quietly. Sanosuke sat beside her on the floor, putting his arm comfortingly around her small shoulders. She leaned against him and turned, burying her face into his chest. The brown hair boy hugged her gently and rested his cheek on her head.

"It'll be alright Missy," he attempted to calm her. A sob shook Kaoru and she wrapped her arms around Sano's middle. Yahiko watched, dismay beginning to glow in his eyes. As he sat, he began to think more and more about Kenshin. What had happened recently?

"_He killed those men…and now he's all weird. Could that be the whole reason for this?"_ he wondered. The young boy stood, his hands clenched in tight fists.

"So how do we get him back? How do we get _our_ Kenshin back?" he demanded, anger flaring in his dark eyes. Sanosuke considered many possibilities, however unable to draw a solid conclusion. Kaoru sniffled a few times before raising her head and furiously wiping her eyes.

"I don't know," she said. "But there must be a way." She added.

"What about that Hiko guy? We could try to find him," Sanosuke finally recommended. Yahiko's eyes brightened and he grabbed his bokken.

"Let's do it!" he agreed in an instant. Kaoru and Sanosuke stood together and smiled.

"Sounds like a plan," Kaoru approved.

"Mm-hmm!" Sanosuke smiled, though his eyes gave away a bit of his uneasiness.

"_Kenshin is a strong rival in his regular state. None of us have really seen the Battôsai in battle, but he appears exceedingly vicious…" _Sanosuke looked at Kaoru and Yahiko as they began to gather supplies for their journey. _"I just hope they'll be safe with me…"_

Kenshin clutched his shoulder as he sat against a sakura tree beside a calmly flowing stream. No one ever came here, and that is why Kenshin always did. This place soothed him, the quietness allowing his mind to settle and the thoughts to simply flow like the stream in from of him. A few petals fell from the flowers in the tree, dancing around the red haired man.

"This world is no longer one of happiness," he said, as if speaking to the stream and tree. A small bird flitted around the beautiful scene, landing upon Kenshin's knee. He placed his finger near its belly and is hopped up to perch merrily on his finger. Kenshin's golden eyes began to fade back into lavender and the bird chirped with joy. The little bird, a small finch, ruffled its feathers and made noises at Kenshin. The man felt a smile form and slowly a small laugh too.

"Well, aren't you a happy bird?" he asked and the bird tilted its head. Kenshin released his shoulder and gently wiped blood off his hand and onto his hakama. Using one careful finger, he stroked the birds' fragile back and head.

"_This place is so wonderful, almost too wonderful. I wish my friends could come, but this is my place. Maybe I should stay here. That way I couldn't harm the people who are so close to me. Maybe if I left, Master Hiko would help me. Maybe…" _Kenshin thought before being interrupted by the bird twittering. The man stood, and the little bird gripped his finger tightly with his small clawed feet. Walking quietly, Kenshin hummed quietly to the bird and every now and then he'd tweet back. These few moments in this forest seemed mystic and unreal. This is what Kenshin loved about the place. However, he now knows that he may never return here. Reaching the end of the forest, he let the bird fly away.

"_And thus, this dark world again regains control of my heart and mind." _He thought stolidly. He began his walk home, realizing that the sun had reached the highest point in the sky. He'd been gone for quite some time. As he got to the dojo, he made sure that nobody saw him. He was going to leave, he decided. He would leave and return only when his Battôsai nature was conquered. He also knew that this could be never. The fiery haired man entered the building, finding only silence. Kaoru had put a small note on the shoji that led to the boys' room.

_We have gone out for a while._

—_Kaoru, Sano, Yahiko, and Megumi_

Kenshin took the note and tucked it safely into the sleeve of his new gi, a black one. He sat on his futon and got paper to begin writing. It took him several tries to get the wording correct, but when he did he set the long note carefully on his neatly folding futon. Taking his sakabatô, Kenshin left. It took him little to no time at all before he was outside of the dojo walls, turning his back on his home for what could be forever.

**Okay yes, yes, this is a short chapter and I'm sorry :( There will be more today (10/23/11) hopefully since I haven't updated in over two months! Gosh I'm slackin'… I'm sorry that I have not posted, school and band have just been very crazy lately. I hope to post way more now since everything will be calming down come November. I love you all who have stuck with this story so far and please continue reading! I love all of your reviews (they make me happy :3). I would also like to announce that there probably will be at least a short sequel to this! :D Isn't that exciting? Lol. So anyway, please enjoy! R&R!**

**ByeBye for now~!**


	8. Chapter 8: Goodbye

Chapter Eight

Goodbye…

Kaoru walked into the dojo and set down her groceries. The Kenshin-gumi had gone out to get food supplies for their journey to locate Kenshin's Master Hiko. Yahiko and Sano put down what they had been carrying and went to their room to see if their friend had returned. Upon entry, Sano's eyes dulled and Yahiko looked baffled.

"Why is Kenshin's futon folded up?" the younger of the two asked. Sano sighed deeply and cleared his throat.

"Kaoru, Megumi!" he called. The girls came to the room in moments, obviously believing that Kenshin had come back. Kaoru's smile dropped and her heart beat harder in her chest.

"He left?" she asked in a small voice. Sanosuke took her into his arms and she hugged onto him. Megumi quietly walked to the futon and picked up the note he had put there.

"He left a note," she announced gently.

"Read it to us?" Yahiko asked, sadness slipping into his voice. Megumi cleared her throat and began to read.

_Friends,_

_I apologize greatly for the pain and sorrow I have put you through. It is now that I wish I had never been able to cause these things, though there must be a reason. I have left to find an answer to this—to why I cause these horrible things to happen to my loved ones. The Battôsai has been reawakened in me, and I can no longer stay and put you all at risk. I love you all too much. I hope that you will not miss me, though I also hope that you will not forget me, Himura Kenshin. When I find the answers I seek, if I am able, I will come back one day. I am aware that this could be forever, so I would like to leave you all with something. Yahiko, you will be a brilliant swordsman. In the closet is a sword I was going to give to you on your birthday, you may have it now; you are ready. Sanosuke, there is a portrait of Sagara Sōzō. I know how much he meant to you, like my master to me. Megumi, I have left a poem for you in your workplace. I know you loved reading them. And Miss Kaoru, there are two things for you, one in words and one object that is very precious to me. The object, my only link to childhood, a spinning top. I have carried it to remember my parents, and now I wish for you to have it to remember me. The words for you I cannot express in any other way. Simply, I love you. You are my heart and soul, my will to live. For you I will try to return one day. Now I say farewell my friends._

_Forever grateful,_

_Himura Kenshin_

The room was silent until Kaoru began to cry. Her sobs even cause Sano's body to tremble with hers. Tears fell from Megumi's eyes and Yahiko tried not to cry. Sanosuke let a few angry tears fall before he composed himself.

"So what do we do?" he asked, his voice somewhat shaky.

"I think the best thing is…to let him go." Megumi said softly. Sanosuke looked at his friends, all of them were grieving. He knew that it was up to him now to step up, to take Kenshin's place. He would protect them, and he would _never_ leave them.

Kenshin felt grief in his heart, utter dismay taking over him. He walked quietly, not even glancing up at the people he'd come to know. As he continued on, he began to think about his life. He loved Kaoru, with all his heart, but he knew she'd never be happy with him, especially with the Battôsai. Sanosuke would take care of her and Yahiko, and Megumi. Kenshin looked up at the sky, it was clear with little wisps of clouds.

"_Even on the brightest day, the world seems like the darkest night…" _he thought, closing his being from everything around him. Kenshin had cut the ties with the people he loved, and now, he was simply a rurouni. A rurouni doomed to the life of a lonely, bloodthirsty killer who was taking over his life and destroying it, piece by piece.

Kaoru, Yahiko, and Megumi had all calmed now and Sanosuke was trying to figure out what to do. There were no more tears, yet the sorrow lingered like a disease. The younger boy was now tugging at flowers in Kaoru's garden, Megumi was organizing her medicines, and Kaoru had begun cleaning. Sano laid back, staring at the sky.

"Do you think he'll come back?" Kaoru's voice drifted to him.

"Maybe. It's not like he'll completely forget about us," he replied confidently.

"Right," she answered, a spark of reassurance in her voice.

"When Kenshin comes back, I'm going to be the best swordsman here!" Yahiko announced giddily. Megumi and Kaoru giggled and Yahiko turned.

"Hey, what are you laughing at?" he demanded, hands on his hips.

"You're just too cute Yahiko," Megumi mused. The girls erupted in laughter as Yahiko's cheeks grew red. Sano chuckled briefly.

"Hey don't go giving the squirt a hard time." Sano called over.

"Thank you Sano," Yahiko replied, crossing his arms.

"After all, he's not tall enough yet to be made fun of." Sanosuke added, laughing. The girls continued laughing as Yahiko fumed and ranted about how he was growing and would be taller than Sanosuke one day.

"_If Kenshin were here, we could make even more height jokes…"_ Sano thought, smiling.

"_I can't wait for you to come home, tomodachi*." _

_**Thank you for reading! :D Please R&R :) Love you alllll!**_

_**ByeBye for now~!**_

_*tomodachi - friend_


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